Archive for December, 2009

Dear Roman,
For a kid who waited until he was two to utter a few words you are sure making up for lost time. I hadn’t even realized how chatty you have become until someone stopped me in a store the other day to let me know how “verbal” you were. I had to do a double take to make sure she was talking to me and speaking about YOU. Sure enough she meant you- the kid who now talks non stop, constantly, about all sorts of things.

There’s been lots of negotiating going on lately. If your parents set a boundary you like to try and add to or change our response. Like if we say, “one more book” you’ll come back with “two books, okay?”

You want to hear the same answer from both of us. So if you ask me something like “can I have a snack” and I say “yes” you’ll turn to your Dad and ask the same question. If he responds “yes” you’ll come to me and say, “Daddy says yes.” Often when you and I are alone you’ll try to convince me that Nana lets you do something that you know is not okay like stand on a chair or throw a toy. So I’ll just say “well Mama says NO” and you seem to accept that for now.

Oh and you aren’t so accepting of the answers I give. The other day you saw a Starbucks bag in the car and asked me what it was. I told you it was an empty bag and you responded, “I check okay Mama” full well knowing that there was at one time a treat inside and that there still could be something yummy to eat. Basically everything I tell you is followed with an “I check okay Mama.”

There are a lot of time warnings in our house which are very effective with transitions. So all day you hear from me “5 more minutes until we…” and you always respond by repeating “okay Mama, 5 more mittens.” It’s my favorite!

What I have realized is your imagination is running wild and I get such a kick out of listening to what you come up with next. Examples:

– The drummers at Snowflake Lane in Bellevue. You pretend to put on a drum around your neck and you grab your real drum sticks. Then you march around the house singing “Jingle Bells” and saying “I’m a drummer” while pretending to hand out lolly pops and candy canes to an imaginary crowd.

– Scuba diver- you get on the ground which you call “the ocean” and pretend to swim but it really looks like an army crawl as you shout “oh look sea turtles” or “I find baby sea shells.”

– Astronaut- still a favorite to play, you put on your helmet and pretend to fly around looking for moon rocks to put in your pockets.

– Parties- you like to have “parties” where you sing Happy Birthday and then blow out imaginary candles.

Anything can become an instrument. You are completely obsessed with all things musical so if you don’t have your drum sticks or guitar handy you’ll make an instrument out of anything from a book to a banana.

I feel like there is so much more to say about you at this age so I’ll just say to be continued for now…
xo,
Mom

Dear Roman,
We did it! We moved into our new home successfully without losing much along the way except maybe a little sanity here and there. It was a crazy couple of weeks trying to pack boxes and coordinate in between your trying to unpack the boxes and create as much chaos as possible. Then you and I caught a nasty cold and you started climbing out of your crib again and nobody in our house was sleeping!
Just as I thought you couldn’t possibly find another way to act out (throwing, screaming, clinging, climbing) and I couldn’t possibly stand another day trying to keep a sick little boy occupied with all his toys packed away the BIG MOVING DAY arrived! “Hi movers” you would say as the men came in and out of the house with furniture. Immediately you felt at home and what’s not to love. You have a big playroom where you can run around and mess everything up. You have a cozy little bedroom with your crib next to the window. I have caught you standing and looking outside where you spotted the trampoline in the neighbor’s yard and said, “I want to go there.” You are sleeping again and we couldn’t be happier!

Now we can focus on Christmas!

*Photo taken on one of the last days at the old house- without any toys you ended up playing in clothing drawers. You called yourself an “astronaut” and a “diver” in this particular ensemble.